1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system and method for automatically identifying a vehicle identification number (VIN) in an electronically displayable file or document, and retrieving information regarding the vehicle's history using the identified VIN.
2. Description of the Related Art
Consumers and automotive professionals involved in the trading of used vehicles recognize the importance of information relating to a used vehicle's history in making a purchasing decision, including placing a value on a particular vehicle. Consequently, services have been created that function primarily to provide vehicle history information to various parties in the used vehicle market, including dealers and individual consumers.
For example, web site www.carfax.com™ operated by CARFAX, Inc., permits a potential buyer of a vehicle to purchase a vehicle history report containing an extensive collection of vehicle history information on a particular vehicle. The vehicle history report may include such vehicle history information as model year, odometer readings, ownership records, accident information, the existence of salvage and/or flood titles and maintenance records. This information is presented as a series of vehicles history records in a vehicle history report.
Since 1981, most vehicles built around the world have been issued a unique identification number known as a Vehicle Identification Number or VIN. VINs include seventeen (17) characters in 17 sequential positions from left to right. The structure of a VIN's 17 characters, which includes numbers and letters, except the letters I, O, and Q, is strictly and universally codified. The positions of the seventeen characters are referred to and explained below from left to right:                Position 1 represents the country of origin (i.e., 1=United States; J=Japan)        Position 2 identifies the manufacturer (i.e., G=GM; B=BMW; N=Nissan)        Position 3 identifies the make or division        Positions 4-8 are the unique attributes which include the engine transmission, restraints, steering etc. which designate the “model” of the vehicle        Position 9 is the Check digit and is a number between 0 and 9.        Position 10 identifies the model year (i.e., A=1980, B=1981; Y=2000; 1=2001; etc)        Position 11 identifies the assembly plant        Positions 12-17 are sequential production numbers—their structure is left to the manufacturer's discretion        
For example, the VIN 1FALP4047TF208886 would be partially “decoded” to read:
Manufactured in:UNITED STATESMake/Model/Year:FORD MUSTANG 1996Body Style:COUPEEngine:3.8L V6 SFIFuel:GASOLINEDriveline:REAR WHEEL DRIVESimilarly the VIN 2G4WB52K1W1485967 would be partially “decoded” to read:
Manufactured in:CANADAMake/Model/Year:BUICK REGAL LS 1998Body Style:SEDAN 4 DREngine:3.8L V6 SFI 12VFuel:GASOLINEDriveline:FRONT WHEEL DRIVE
VINs are widely used throughout the automotive industry to identify vehicles. In particular, VINs serve as codes/keys in many databases containing vehicle information, to designate the respective vehicles. For instance, VINs are used in the following areas:                By automobile dealers in specialized enterprise software, known as Dealership Management Systems (DMS), which assists dealers in managing their business by storing and handling many complex tasks involved in running a dealership, including keeping track of their vehicle inventory by VINs        By vehicle history information and data providers, such as a database owned by CARFAX, Inc., where a vehicle's history records (accidents, number of owners, service and repair information, etc.) are stored and indexed using the VIN        By manufacturers to keep track of vehicles, for example, vehicles that need to be, or have been recalled for safety or reliability reasons        
However, VINs are cumbersome to use since there are many characters and their order and structure are not intuitive. When researching a particular vehicle, it is also time-consuming and tedious for a user of a web site to locate/recognize one or more VINs in an electronic file or document, and then type, or cut and paste, the VIN(s) into an input field. As a result, the process of searching for, recognizing/locating, transferring/copying/retyping, and requesting information, on one or more VINs, is prone to errors.
Therefore, there exists an unfulfilled need for a system and method for facilitating identification of one or more VINs in an electronic file or document. There is also an unfulfilled need for facilitating obtaining of information associated with a specific vehicle using VINs. In particular, there exists a need for such a system and method that facilitates identification of VINs in an electronically displayed file or document, and transferring of VINs into an input search field to expedite obtaining information regarding the specific vehicle.